Pharmacia AB

Pharmacia AB (Developed a nicotine-containing nasal spray): Developed a nicotine-containing nasal spray designed to wean smokers from cigarettes

= Description =

Pharmacia AB of Stockholm, Sweden developed a nicotine-containing nasal spray designed to wean smokers from cigarettes (WSJ 8/2/94). Pharmacia AB's stock symbol is PHARY (DJ 8/1/94). Pharmacia Inc. applied to market a nicotine-containing nasal spray a smoking cessation device (DJ 8/1/94). Pharmacia AB sought permission to sell the spray on a prescription basis in the U.S. in 1994 (WSJ 8/2/94). Pharmacia Inc. markets nicotine nasal spray in 1994 (NYT 8/2/94). The nicotine nasal spray was discussed at a meeting of the FDA's Drug Advisory Abuse Committee on 8/1/94. The panel concluded there was a potential that the spray would be abused and recommended strict record keeping, strong warnings, and limits on refills (WSJ 8/2/94). The FDA advisory committee recommended that Pharmacia AB's nicotine spray should only be sold with prescriptions, strong warnings about its danger and a limit on refills (DJ 8/1/94). A clinical study of a nicotine-containing nasal spray-manufactured by Pharmacia AB was done in Britain. Study was run by Gary Sutherland and involved 227 British smokers 116 were given the spray and 111 a place after a year of treatment, 30 of those given the spray were not smoking, more than double the number in the control group. Of those 30, 13 were still using the spray when the study ended after a year, despite doctors' recommendations to use the spray only for 3 months. Twelve of the thirteen appeared to show signs of addiction, per E. Douglas Kramer of the FDA. Several complained of withdrawal symptoms such as tenseness and hunger when they stopped using the spray several patients said they felt hooked on the spray (WSJ 8/2/94). Pharmacia AB is based in Stockholm, Sweden (WSJ 8/2/94). See also KABI Pharmacia Inc., KABI Pharmacia Therapeutics AB, Pharmacia Inc., see nicotine nasal spray, Glossary, and TTLA Almanac - Names.

resource_id=6874 resource_code=pharmacia_ab search_term=Pharmacia AB